Chapter XI: Hatred
Box... Doors... Pegasus... Pulling me... Machine... Metal floor...
Slowly the king struggled to open his eyes, but sleep gripped him tightly, and his eyes shut again. Again, he tried and soon the blurred sight of a pegasus operating a strange machine that glowed with a cyan light. He blinked ever so slowly, taking care not to let his eyes stay shut, and his vision began to clear. The pegasus had a brown mane and a fob watch cutie mark. The pegasus pulled a lever and then rotated a knob before he quickly walked to the other side of the machine to strike it with a mallet. "Wha-" The king then put his weight onto his hooves and attempted to get up, but to no avail; his legs were still numb. He let out a moan as he lied on the floor. The pegasus heard him and said, "Ah you’re awake! Good afternoon Your Majesty! Would you like some muffins? There are plenty in the kitchen. The blueberry muffins are excellent."
King Concordius shook his head vigorously and, with effort, once life returned to his legs, finally got back up on his hooves. "Ye... insolent knave," he said, "how... darest thou abduct us!" Once he stood completely straight and felt that all his energy had returned, he flared his wings, and charged at and knocked down the Master. He pointed his horn between the Master's eyes, the horn glowing white as he threatened to fire his magic. "Where art we?"
Concordius was a tall grey alicorn, with a great long perfectly spiraled horn and enormous wide wings. His short beard and thick eyebrows were pure white, while his eyes were yellow all over with red irises. He had a long flowing mane that shined with various shades of gold and a flowing black tail that sparkled with stars. His cutie mark was a magnificent jewel-studded crown. Concordius was the very image of regality and royal prestige, though age had taken its toll on him.
The Master stayed down, completely calm, and replied, "No muffins, Your Majesty? Alright, I suppose you're more a cupcake kind of pony."
"Answer us, knave!"
"Your Majesty, I think you misunderstand. I didn't abduct you. I rescued you!"
This reply confused Concordius, and naturally he was unconvinced. "What?! Thou speakest absolute nonsense!"
"You sure you don't want any muffins?" the Master continued trying to change the subject and appear non-threatening. "How about a jelly baby? Would you like a jelly baby?"
"What are these muffins and jelly babies thou speakest of knave?"
Seeing that Concordius was unwilling to begin friendly conversation, the Master proceeded to carry out his main intention. "Alright, alright, fine, I'll get right to the... uh... the point," he said as he indicated to the tip of Concordius' glowing horn. Concordius lifted his horn away from the Master's face, allowing him to continue to speak, but he remained on top of him, ensuring he was pinned down and could do no harm. "Ahem. Your most trusted commander conspired against you, Your Majesty."
"Commander Rainbow Sword? Never! Durst thou think us a fool? 'Tis a lie! He be'eth the most loyal pony in the realm." Concordius pointed his horn at the Master again, threatening to kill him, but the Master could see in his eyes that the king was not as steadfast in his trust of Rainbow Sword as his actions suggested.
"Oh, but it's true." The Master said. "I'm the most honest pony you'll ever meet Your Majesty. Trust me."
"Thou swearest that what thou speakest art the truth?"
"Cross my heart. Hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye."
Concordius looked at the Master skeptically for a moment before giving a disgruntled sigh, lifting his horn away and backing off of him. "Very well, we shall hear you out. Nopony may swear the Sacred Oath lightly, and we kings of Ponytopia art obliged to trust it."
"Ah, thank you, Your Majesty." the Master said as he carefully and respectfully stood up and knelt before the king, "You truly are the best, most regal, most noble king in the world."
"We appreciate thine flattery, but still, we cannot believe that Rainbow Sword would betray us." Concordius began to observe the room around him as he allowed the Master to speak.
"Oh, but I heard it with my own ears, Your Majesty. I was flying by a window when I heard him speaking to your precious Starswirl the Bearded. They planned to use the Royal Guard and Starswirl's powerful magic to capture and imprison you, and then divide the kingdom between the two of them. Such treachery!"
Concordius quickly looked back at the Master with a glare and snorted. "Thou shalt watch thine accusations! Starswirl hast been our trusted apprentice and friend since he was but a filly. For him to betray us simply cannot be." Concordius took a step towards the Master, who took a step back and lowered his head.
"I swore the Sacred Oath, Your Majesty. For me to lie would be to invoke the fury of the gods. If you respect the gods, Your Majesty, then perhaps you should respect the oath and keep an open mind. Times have changed and things are not like they used to be. You know this. Even the deepest of loyalties wear with time. And as a three-hundred year-"
"Two-hundred seventy!"
"Of course, Your Majesty. As a two-hundred seventy year old king, you know better than anypony the things time does." The Master struck a chord. He revived the haunting memories of Concordius' past, memories that pained the king's heart more than anything.
"We still cannot believe that Starswirl would betray us..." Concordius quietly said as he tucked his wings back in.
"But such a thing should not surprise you, Your Majesty. Surely, you remember your brother. All those years ago, he led a mob of angry earth ponies against you. The ungrateful wretches. You’re a generous and kind king, giving them a brilliant Sun and beautiful Moon, but they don’t appreciate it. They would have sooner followed your selfish brother, who tricked them with his lies and empty promises."
Now it was the king's turn to lower his head. Concordius looked down, crestfallen, sighed and despairingly said, "Thou speakest correctly."
The Master walked towards Concordius and stood by his right side. "And your own daughter. Though of course, the impatient wench isn't worthy of being called your daughter after what she did. She joined the Hoofricans, hoping that with them she could take over the kingdom and become queen. How fitting that in turn, the Hoofricans turned against her and cast her out into the desert. She showed no appreciation for the tender loving care you and your gracious wife showered on her."
"'Tis true..." Concordius' voice trembled and the Master could see a tear welling up in the king's eyes. Concordius was especially vulnerable to memories of his wife, Queen Stella. With Concordius near the brink of a breakdown, the Master ventured to place his hoof on his shoulder, pretending to comfort him. He could feel the Concordius' body shivering, but Concordius pulled his shoulder away. The Master smirked at this rejection of his consolation, a sign that he did not have far to go.
"And now, in your old age, your ponies no longer think you’re a great king. You might not have seen or heard it, but I’ve been with the worthless peasants and overheard their horrendous gossip. They mock and laugh at you. They call you an old goat. The pegasi make fun of your flying when you turn your back, saying that you fly like a crippled bat. And I’m sure you’ve noticed how the unicorns haven’t been inviting you to their banquets. They prefer the company of young upstarts, who've barely begun their careers, over the company of Your Most Royal Majesty." The Master leaned in close to Concordius' ears and whispered, "Maybe that would explain why so few of them attended Queen Stella's funeral..."
"THE UNGRATEFUL WHELPS!" Concordius shouted, stomping his hoof on the floor, causing a loud clap and a mighty tremor to reverberate through the room. On his face was an expression of both rage and anguish. He clenched his teeth and finally allowed the tears to stream down from his eyes.
"What's the point in being a good king if alll your subjects do is mock, exclude and conspire against you." The Master whispered, "If your subjects don't love you, why should you love them?"
"Thou art right! They deserveth none of our love!" Concordius flared his wings and his glaring eyes glowed yellow.
"Hate them Your Majesty. You can't rely on your friends. Your friends as traitors and fiends. Your subjects are wretches and scoundrels. Give up whatever friendship you feel towards anyone. You'll only find comfort in hatred."
Concordius let out a wrathful scream and a burst of wind that knocked the Master back. "Indeed, our noble pegasus. Prithee, tell us your name."
The cream-colored pegasus stood back up, faced the king, and, with a mischievous smile on his face, said, "My name is the Master."
Concordius walked up to the Master and placed his right hoof on the Master's shoulder. He looked the Master in the eye and said, "Noble Master, we thank thee. Thou hast opened our eyes. Friendship is of no benefit to us. We cannot live in harmony with such shameful ponies..." Concordius paused, put his hoof down and looked at the floor once more. The bright golden colors of his mane began to dull.
"We..." then the stars in his tail faded. "Hate..." he then slowly looked up again, glaring, and growled, while the color in his eyes began to turn black. "Them..."
Concordius' entire body shifted into a darker shade of grey, and no color remained anywhere.
The Master had broken the King.